Hi, in my set up the AV2 in combination with the 32.5/supercap running L,R I do prefer the naim. I now have excellent bass and learnt a lot about EQ with The Acurus, so I have PEQ’s the mini dsp to match the settings I finally settled on with The Acurus for my 3 subs, the bass is now 99% as good as The Acurus was. I have time aligned the subs to give a very even response across the seating area and that took about 2 months of reading, measuring and adjusting.
The Acurus is more resolving, spatially better and the soundstage is bigger and the steering excellent the naim running analogue out of the Panasonic is less resolved and smaller and less seamless. BUT the voices have a real in the room feel, very organic and dynamically excellent. Its bold and has weight and body to the sound, The Acurus was a little more analytical, although very smooth and lacking any harshness. The real point for me was films I have seen before disappointed musically on The Acurus, it just didn’t more you in the way the naim set up does. It wasn’t bad it just missed the boogie and swing of the naim set up when its warmed up. Play something like Pulp Fiction and its engulfing and it swings with real drive, you are part of the scene with The Acurus you are somehow more of a spectator. I know the Sonis Faber Extremas just seem to come alive and really hit home with 32.5/Supercap/4x135’s and take the Supercap away and some of that almost scary drive and ‘balls’ is lost.
The Acurus was good but not good enough to dismiss the old AV2 in my set up. At the moment I will be experimenting with upgrades to the Panasonic 9000 and see if I can achieve the best of both worlds without compromising the ‘body’ and tonal density of the AV2
Both 32.5 and 72 once were Naim Flagship preamp, the latter in a short period before Nac 52 were finally launched.
I’ve always felt 62 were preferable with no dedicated PSU, while 72 sort of needed a hicap, but both are superb if you accept no remote facilities.
So a 110/62 as secondary amp is certainly nice.
I’d happily use my 42.5/110 as a primary amp. I’ve not yet heard anything else that significantly betters it any way that’s needed for both musical satisfaction and ability to drive heavy loads.
Sure is a nice combo. If easier to drive speakers i’d actually prefer a Nait1, which i think is even more musically coherent, but lacks the ultimate driving capability of the pre/power.
Naim are servicing my boltdown 160 for the second time in its life and I’ve decided to get one of my 12s done too, but the dual-rail option doesn’t seem to be available anymore
If it’s already in standard trim, then I would keep a NAC12 as standard as possible these days. They’re quite rare and worth preserving that way. Match with an early shoe-box SNAPS and you have a wonderful vintage set.
OK, point taken. I have two so was happy to get one dual-railed. Both are currently unserviced. I have a CB SNAPS but prefer the 12/BD160 on their own.
Tibbs, I’ve had 42.5/110 too and they were certainly very nice.
Still remember back in the 80’ies they were proudly presented at my then dealer.
We youngster didn’t really know at that time, how good the JV kit was.
Maybe your dealer can twist someone’s arm at Naim. I’d imagine it’s still possible to do it, but maybe @NeilS can advise whether there’s some issue that makes it impossible to do these days.
It is possible to do, however it isn’t something that has ever been offered by Naim during my time in the service department.
I’d also be inclined to keep it original if it were mine.
My understanding of the “.5” upgrade on the 32 and 42 is that the phono cards get a separate rail and everything else remains on the original rail. If the same applies to converting a 12 to dual-rail then you’ll only hear the benefit if you use the phono input.
You may well be right (I’m sure Neil can confirm one way or other). But as the 0.5 upgrade on the NAC32 and NAC42 was an official upgrade, whereas it was not on the NAC12 (apart from perhaps the NAC12DR, which IIRC, was designed for use with up to two SNAPS power supplies), and there is pretty scant info on what Naim did with the NAC12. It would appear that customers would regularly return their NAC12 to Salt Lane for ad hoc updates and upgrades.
My own NAC12 is a case in point, starting out as an early example and then having been upgraded to the 2nd daughter boards version, then having the phono card slots upgraded to pins from the knife edge connectors, and also RCA Phonos in place of the Phono DIN. Latterly, the volume pot was replaced with an ALPS Blue, which I believe is still standard practice when servicing a NAC12 with a noisy pot.
If anybody has any official information from back in the day ('70s) on the NAC12DR or any dual rail upgrade offered by Naim on the NAC12, please post or get in touch, I’d appreciate it.
From memory, the standard arrangement or conversion (42 and 42.5) to dual rail has one supply feeding both the phono board and the input buffer circuit for both channels, and the other supply feeds the output voltage amplifier stage of both channels plus the output relay delay circuit. So, pulling the phono boards will still allow a dual supply to be fully used.
OK, I think I’ll keep them both stock anyway. I don’t ‘need’ better performance.
One more question, to all, would you get the mint 12 serviced (serial 96x) or the slightly tatty one (serial 71x)?
The tatty one has a noisy volume pot but not too bad. The mint one is missing the internal connection to the phono earth, although it never sounds noisy.
